Karen Allen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Karen Allen
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Allen in 2017
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| Born |
Karen Jane Allen
October 5, 1951 Carrollton, Illinois, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Fashion Institute of Technology George Washington University Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Known for | Role of Marion Ravenwood in the Indiana Jones films Raiders of the Lost Ark, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Dial of Destiny |
| Spouse(s) |
Kale Browne
(m. 1988; div. 1998) |
| Children | 1 |
Karen Jane Allen (born October 5, 1951) is an American actress. She has starred in many films, TV shows, and plays. Karen is best known for playing Marion Ravenwood in the Indiana Jones movies. These include Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
She also appeared in other popular films like Animal House and Starman. Karen has won awards for her acting. She also directs plays and films.
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Early Life and Education
Karen Allen was born on October 5, 1951, in Carrollton, Illinois. Her mother was a university professor. Her father worked for the FBI. Because of her father's job, her family moved often. Karen said she was always the new kid in school. This made it hard to make lasting friendships.
After high school, Karen moved to New York City. She studied art and design for two years. Later, she traveled through parts of Asia. She also studied at George Washington University. There, she started acting with a theater group. In 1974, she joined Shakespeare & Company in Massachusetts. Three years later, she returned to New York City. She studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute.
Acting Career
Karen Allen started her film career in 1978. Her first major movie was the comedy National Lampoon's Animal House. She then appeared in The Wanderers in 1979. She also had a small role in Woody Allen's film Manhattan.
Her most famous role came in 1981. She played Marion Ravenwood in Raiders of the Lost Ark. In this movie, she starred alongside Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. Karen won the Saturn Award for Best Actress for her performance. This movie was a huge success.
After Raiders of the Lost Ark, she acted in other films. She co-starred with Jeff Bridges in the science-fiction movie Starman (1984). Her role in Starman earned her another nomination for Best Actress. In 1988, she played Claire in the Christmas comedy Scrooged with Bill Murray.
Karen also performed on Broadway. In 1982, she was in a play called The Monday After The Miracle. She often took breaks from movies to act on stage. She played Laura in the film The Glass Menagerie (1987).
She continued to appear in many films and TV shows. These included Malcolm X (1992) and The Perfect Storm (2000). She also had guest roles on TV shows like Law & Order.
In 2008, Karen returned as Marion Ravenwood. This was for the movie Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. In this film, her character reunited with Indiana Jones. They also revealed they had a son, played by Shia LaBeouf. The movie was very popular.
Karen also started directing. In 2016, she directed her first short film. It was called A Tree. A Rock. A Cloud. This film won an award at the Manchester Film Festival. In 2017, she played the main role in the film Year by the Sea.
Most recently, Karen reprised her role as Marion Ravenwood. This was in the 2023 film Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. In 2024, she starred in the film Unsinkable: Titanic Untold.
Personal Life
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In 1988, Karen Allen married actor Kale Browne. They had a son named Nicholas in 1990. The couple later divorced in 1998. After her son was born, Karen chose smaller acting roles. This allowed her to focus on raising Nicholas. Her son, Nicholas, became a chef. He even won a cooking competition on the Food Network in 2016.
In 2003, Karen started her own textile company. It is called Karen Allen Fiber Arts. The company has a store in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. She sells items she knits there. She also sells products made by other designers. For her work in textiles, she received an honorary master's degree in 2009. Karen also teaches acting at Bard College at Simon's Rock.
As of July 2025, Karen Allen lives in Massachusetts. She continues to work as an actress and stage director.
Awards and Recognition
Karen Allen has received several awards and nominations for her acting.
- In 1981, she won the Saturn Award for Best Actress for her role in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
- In 1983, she won a Theatre World Award for her stage debut in New York City.
- She was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Actress again in 1984 for Starman.
- In 2016, she won Best Actress at the Hamilton International Film Festival for Year by the Sea.
- In 2022, she won Best Performance at the Woods Hole Film Festival for A Stage of Twilight.
Images for kids
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Allen in 2017
See also
In Spanish: Karen Allen para niños
